The Surgeon’s Studio

“Has he gone mad? We as doctors rely mainly on our medical skill and knowledge. Licking Chief Physician Pan’s boots will do him no good,” a doctor mumbled after noticing the stunned Zheng Ren.

“That’s right. He didn’t even attempt a response just now. Is this not silently admitting his defeat? He can’t do it. He was no good in general surgery and he is no good here in the emergency department too.”

“What a coward. He should at least try to defend himself since Old Yuan’s skill was also mediocre. It’s better than getting humiliated for absolutely no reason, but Old Yuan was too harsh with his words just now. Does he not worry about repercussions from Chief Physician Pan when he comes back later?”

“I think he was forced to do so. His effort wasn’t valued in the genitourinary surgery department and he was thrown to the emergency department afterward. He was a senior attending surgeon but couldn’t get any chance of promotion to be the deputy chief surgeon due to lack of experience as a chief resident.”

“You mentioned it as if he was experienced in the scientific research field. Please, not every chief resident can be promoted to a deputy chief physician, but I do agree that Zheng Ren is too cowardly judging by this situation.”

Initially, some doctors were annoyed at Yuan Li for his insolence toward Zheng Ren, but they started despising Zheng Ren after noticing that he made no attempt in taking history at all.

However, they could not be blamed since it was normal to judge a doctor’s competence by one’s skill.

Those who excelled in flattery may as well just stay in the office for good since it was practically impossible for them to achieve success in the clinical aspect. Worse, they could end up bankrupt when a medicolegal issue showed up on their doorstep.

Zheng Ren was slightly embarrassed with everyone staring at him in a peculiar way. Even so, he read through the patient’s details again to get a better understanding of the patient’s overall condition.

Then, he put his plastic bag down on a chair at the nurses’ station and said to the matron, “I suspect the patient just now is suffering from an intracranial hemorrhage. The blood loss isn’t much, but he is at risk of collapse. Send someone with a first-aid kit to follow the patient closely when he is going for a cranial CT scan. Transfer him to the neurosurgery department immediately if there’s any sign of an intracranial hemorrhage.”

“…” The matron and every medical staff in the corridor were instantly dumbfounded.

What the hell? He suspected that the patient, who entered the emergency department without assistance, was suffering an intracranial hemorrhage without any history-taking or physical examination? More importantly, he was a fully conscious patient who had walked into this department all by himself. It seemed as if the patient was fine after all.

He must be joking.

“That’s all he has? No wonder he was transferred here from the general surgery department.” A gynecologist returned to the consultation room after glancing at Zheng Ren contemptuously.

“Haha, we’ve never seen such an idiotic doctor in a long time.”

“That’s right. To transfer the patient to the neurosurgery department? Is he picking a fight? Well, it looks like we can enjoy ourselves with a scene later.” The rest of the crowd gloated at Zheng Ren’s impending doom.

The matron was kind enough to give Zheng Ren a piece of heartfelt advice. “Little Zheng, that’s not how we consult patients.”

“Matron, I’m not familiar with the system in this department. Can you please send someone to escort him for investigations?” replied Zheng Ren with a warm smile. “By the way, do you have the key to my locker?”

This doctor… made the matron feel speechless.

Well, it was impossible to save someone with a death wish.

Even if one was a relative of Chief Physician Pan, no! Even if one was the biological son of Chief Physician Pan’s, no one would obey your command when you were just playing the fool.

The matron threw a key at Zheng Ren out of annoyance at his unflinching determination.

“Thanks!” Zheng Ren picked up his plastic bag and started arranging his belongings.

The physician completed history-taking and a physical examination of the patient shortly. Then, he gave him a checklist form for a cranial CT scan to the patient and directed him to the radiology department.

Meanwhile, Yuan Li was lingering outside the room contentedly while mocking the teenager’s cowardice and reluctance to enter a consultation room.

A junior nurse entered the consultation room at this instant. “Let’s go. I’ll escort you to the payment counter and radiology department.”

Yuan Li, who was wandering outside the consultation room, was stunned when he noticed the first-aid kit in the junior nurse’s hands.

“What is this for?”

“Chief Zheng said the patient was in danger and requested for someone to escort him,” mumbled the annoyed junior nurse.

A first-aid kit weighed around three kilograms, so it was quite exhausting to run around the compound with such a load in her hands.

‘The new chief resident lacked the courage to argue with Doctor Yuan and had decided to vent his rage by torturing the nurses,’ the vexed junior nurse cursed Zheng Ren internally.

“What kind of nonsense is this?” complained Yuan Li.

“Is my condition serious?” asked the patient with an ashen-grey face.

“It’s nothing serious. You’re just suffering from a tension headache due to inadequate rest and fatigue. The CT scan is just for assurance, so don’t worry. You’ll be fine,” explained the physician immediately.

After comforting the patient, Yuan Li waited for the junior nurse and the patient to disappear around the corner before walking toward Zheng Ren angrily and rebuked him. “Are you really a doctor? Do you still possess the ethical conduct of the medical profession?”

Yuan Li was prepared to deal a fatal blow to this chief resident from a moral high ground.

“Huh? What happened?”

“That patient had a headache and came to consult us. After taking a detailed history, we found out that he would suffer from a headache after every masturbation. He masturbated quite a few times yesterday which resulted in a terrible headache for the whole night, and that was the reason he came to us,” explained Yuan Li irritably before adding. “To put it simply, he suffered from a tension headache due to inadequate rest…”

“Judging by the patient’s symptoms, an intracranial hemorrhage is a possible differential diagnosis. Use a wheelchair to escort him to the radiology department and transfer him to the neurosurgery department immediately after the CT scan is completed,” instructed Zheng Ren calmly.

Yuan Li sneered. “Wheelchair? Should I send you to the neurosurgery department with a stretcher trolley and check if you have an intracranial hemorrhage as well?”

“It’s fine if you don’t believe me.” Zheng Ren did not mind him at all since it was extremely difficult to convince others on this matter too. He would not even believe it himself, were it not for the fact that he completed a pancreaticoduodenectomy alone under the guidance of the prime experience yesterday.

In all honesty, Zheng Ren had no choice despite his reluctance. It was normal for doctors to have suspicious minds, but Yuan Li’s persistence in finding fault with everything he did was truly irritating. If he actually proceeded to perform a physical examination on the patient, there would be a high chance that both of them would get competitive.

Would it turn out to be a martial arts championship? Ridiculous.

Well, let him put the System to the test. At least he knew he could rely on the System if the patient’s details and diagnosis were accurate. Otherwise, he might resort to resignation. That way, he could save Chief Physician Pan from getting extremely disappointed after placing too much hope in him.

The patient’s medical history was so bizarre that the nurses could not help but cover their mouths and snigger. A few doctors were even chatting about similar cases that they had encountered after listening to the patient’s history.

None of them paid any attention to Zheng Ren anymore. Was it necessary to pay attention to a doctor who was destined to fail?

Yuan Li smiled contemptuously and said, “You’re hopeless.”

Then, he returned to his general surgery consultation room with his hands behind his back.

In Yuan Li’s opinion, the new chief resident did not even know how to consult patients and was probably thrown to the emergency department due to medical malpractice.

Old Chief Physician Pan must be blind to treasure such an idiotic doctor.

Thankfully, Yuan Li could use this case to his advantage. Even if Old Chief Physician Pan were there, he could no longer protect Zheng Ren if they start bickering in the future.

This medical case was a perfect weapon to drag Zheng Ren through the mud!

Twenty minutes later, a tall and plump doctor barged into the emergency department hastily.

“Who sent that patient to the neurosurgery department?!” The tall and plump doctor’s thunderous roar rebounded off the walls and echoed down the corridor.

Fortunately, the emergency department had the fewest patients in the morning. Otherwise, his ear-shattering voice would surely have triggered myocardial infarctions in some of them.

“Haha, I told you, Chief Zheng isn’t reliable at all. Look, the doctor from the neurosurgery department came here to demand an explanation,” the physician mocked while savoring the fun before him.

“He sent a physically healthy patient to the ward. How embarrassing.”

“Hey, when can we get an outstanding doctor in the emergency department? Don’t just dump pieces of trash to this department.”

The launching of that weapon of mass destruction darkened every spectating doctor’s expression immediately. Was he an idiot to humiliate himself at the same time too?

That imbecile… who the hell did he criticize as a piece of trash?

Zheng Ren heard the question and said, “Brother Zhang, I sent him.”

“Zheng Ren? You really came to the emergency department?” Doctor Zhang was obviously acquainted with Zheng Ren but his expression became stony flat after greeting him and he said, “We have three aneurysm cases due for surgery today, so can you please stop giving us trouble?”

“Trouble?”

“Why did you send a physically healthy patient to the ward when the emergency department can take care of him easily? The nurse told me that you diagnosed an intracranial hemorrhage without any corresponding signs and symptoms, and there wasn’t any CT film to support your diagnosis. How did you come to that conclusion? Are you really that good?” complained Doctor Zhang, annoyed.

“Three aneurysm cases? Damn, you must be very busy today. That patient had a leaking cerebral microaneurysm. I hope he’ll be fine,” replied Zheng Ren.

“…” Doctor Zhang was exasperated listening to Zheng Ren. A leaking cerebral microaneurysm? Did a general surgeon know what was the probability of getting a microaneurysm? The risk of a leakage? The triggering factors of a microaneurysm? Did he know the manifestations of that disease?

Doctor Zhang’s cell phone rang before he could throw these questions at Zheng Ren.

“Hello?” said Doctor Zhang after accepting the phone call.

“Where are you? That patient collapsed with bilateral dilated pupils and pupillary light reflex is absent. The CT results were uploaded just now, and he was suffering from an intracranial hemorrhage due to an aneurysm rupture. Come back and help resuscitate the patient quickly!” An anxious voice traveled from the other end of the phone.

Everyone on the scene froze to the spot immediately after hearing the emergency call.

The corners of Doctor Zhang’s eyes twitched uncontrollably as he sprinted back to his department with loud thumps like an elephant charging toward its target.

Yuan Li poked his head out of the consultation room the moment he heard the neurosurgeon’s thunderous voice.

The beginning of the story went as he expected, but his speculation for the ending was nowhere close.

“He really had an intracranial hemorrhage?” the surprised Yuan Li spoke to himself.

Zheng Ren passed by Yuan Li coincidentally and smiled upon hearing his question.

“What else could it have been?”